Gathering
by Nimaranel
Summary: The ancient voice called out, waking the spirits within: it was time for the four directions and the center to guard the planet once more. Companion to The Memory Keeper. The Ssu Ling Chronicles first book.
1. It Begins

**Gathering**

_**Author's Notes:**__ Hey everyone! Welcome back to my readers who've followed over from _The Memory Keeper_, the companion to this series. Why yes, this is a series. Or rather a trilogy, if I have it planned out right. Knowing me, it might change a bit on the way. Anyways, this can be a stand-alone series but it's supposed to follow after TMK so if you haven't read it, read it? Anyways, I hope you lot enjoy this first chapter. Please, send me a review if you have the time when you finish reading—I adore getting them and they literally make me squee and giggle when I see I have one. No joke there._

_**DISCLAIMER**__: I don't own Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon. The concept belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. The characters in this story, however, are my creations and mine alone. Take them and I will be very unhappy._

**Chapter One: It Begins**

Every night it was the same dream she moved through, as if in a haze. She stood in the gardens, looking up at the moon, the beautiful, pale orb that hung low in the sky during that midsummer night. She wanted to reach out her slender hand, to grasp it within her palm and to hold the beautiful orb, to light up the night with glorious, pale moon beams. Yet her fingers could not touch the object as she let her hand fall slowly to her side, a sigh escaping her lips. She could hear music playing softly in the background, laughter muted by the glass windows along the sides of the great castle. This was home for her, a place she felt most at ease and relaxed. She swayed to the music, dancing with an invisible partner beneath the stars, laughing to herself, holding on half of an imaginary conversation.

His hand upon her shoulder stopped her dancing, bringing her to a halt. She wanted to turn, to see his face, yet as she turned, the world fell to pieces. The images blurred—hate, anger, greed, and darkness, such endless darkness surrounded her until she could no longer breathe.

_Help me!_ She wanted to scream out but her throat was closed up, her lips making no sound as she sank deeper and deeper into the pit that closed in around her.

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

Grumbling from the bed, tangled up in her covers, Saioji Emi glanced blearily at the alarm clock next to her bed as it continued to wake her with the harsh, electronic beeping sound. 7:23 AM; she was used to waking up early and, while this was far from early, she still felt the need to slam her hand down onto the snooze button in an attempt to get some more sleep before she actually had to get up and go off to school.

"Emi!" From downstairs, her mother called up to her daughter. "Emi, get up or you're going to be late for the bus!" Then, after a moment, "You wouldn't want to keep Kohaku-san waiting long, would you?" This seemed motivation enough to get out of bed and, with one last groan, the eighteen year old managed to roll out from her tangled sheets, blinking when she flipped the switch on for light in the room. Her mind was still fuzzily trying to piece together bits of the dream she'd been having but, just as she seemed to have a grasp on what she'd seen in sleep, it vanished like a puff of smoke. Well, it didn't really matter much, did it? Dreams were just funny little things that didn't have much meaning, unless you believed in that sort of think like her best friend Mameratsu Akiko did.

Grabbing a brush from her dresser, Emi paused, gazing critically at her reflection. To be honest, she had never thought of herself as anything more than ordinary. An oval shaped face, dark blue eyes, and long, thick black hair that rarely behaved under the influence of her brush. This seemed especially true this morning as she winced, trying to get through a few particularly hard tangles that didn't want to go away. It took a bit of time and patience before she had managed to get her hair smooth and brushed through. Clipping back her bangs, she gave herself a satisfied look over before she grabbed her uniform out of her closet.

"Be sure you bring an umbrella and a coat with you today," Her mother insisted as Emi came clambering down the stairs, book bag in hand as she swept through the kitchen in search of something quick to grab before she had to go. "The weather man keeps saying there's a front coming in. They're predicting snow!"

"Snow? In April?" Emi looked out the window, an incredulous look upon her face as she grabbed an apple from the bowl on the counter. It looked nice out, hardly something that she'd guess to be the weather before some sort of storm. "Are they sure they've got that right? It looks nice outside."

"Apparently they think they're right, but I guess we won't know until it hits," Emi's mother gave a sigh. "I'd rather have you be safe than sorry." Emi made a face but she complied, grabbing a light coat and an umbrella before slipping into her shoes.

"Be sure to give your dad a call and let him know if you'll be going over or not later!" her mother reminded her. Emi groaned inwardly. Right, she still had to give her father a call so he could make reservations for dinner with Emi and his new girlfriend. It wasn't something Emi was particularly looking forward to, to be honest, but she had promised she'd do it eventually before school had ended; she was running out of time to make good on her word, even though she was dreading the whole meeting anyways.

"I will!" Emi had nothing more to say on the matter as she shut the door behind her, hopping down the steps, a grin spreading across her features when she saw Suzuki Kohaku coming up to her walk. "Hey stranger," She called out, hurrying forward, hugging him and pressing a light kiss to his lips.

"Hey yourself," He grinned, running a hand through his dark brown locks. "Did you manage to get through all the problems on the worksheet?" He asked as he slid his hand into hers as they slowly made their way down the street to the bus stop. "I had some trouble with problems eight and seventeen." Emi laughed in response, shaking her head.

"You dork, you know I'm no good at the Algebra!" It was comfortable, walking hand in hand with her boyfriend. Kohaku and Emi had been friends since they were little, bonding over a mutual like of the outdoors and a not-so-secret obsession with comic books that had spawned when they were in the third grade. Really, he was the person Emi should have been dating and everyone knew it. They fell in synch with one another so well and, while Emi had her doubts, she knew better than to second guess herself. If it felt right, it was right and she didn't need to come up with reasons not to be there, holding hands with the boy she had fallen head over heels for.

Life was blessedly ordinary to Emi. She had a nice group of friends, a boyfriend, very little drama among her peers and family (though she had to admit she hated when her parents fought, which happened quite often when the two of them were in the same room together) and, all together, was happy 

enough to go by in life. Chattering away with Kohaku and Akiko when the two of them reached the bus stop, she chanced a glance behind her just before the bus had pulled up to their stop. A blur of brown fur caught her attention as she shifted her gaze, watching a brown tabby hurrying off behind a garbage can just up the next street. Emi frowned, stepping towards it, curious, catching gleaming brown eyes at her from behind the can.

"Emi, come on!" Akiko was calling. Shaking her head, Emi turned around, hopping onto the bus. She looked out the window as they pulled away from the stop but the cat was gone by then.

--

The storm clouds were brewing in the air by mid-day, coming from out of nowhere. Heads turned to the skies as the first snowflakes began to fall, flurries at first that turned into great, big flakes that began to cover the ground with a dusting and then a few inches of snow. Children raced from school, laughing and running about in the snow, making snowballs to throw at their classmates and friends before they had to head off to their homes only to be shepherded indoors by mothers and fathers who cast uncertain eyes to the skies, wondering if this was going to be a normal occurrence now. The weather was supposed to be nice, not like this.

_We're coming._ _Oh, Master, we're here and we shall do as you bid!_ The voices on the wind were barely heard, barely seen but one pair of ears picked up on the voices. Hiding behind a recycling bin, the brown tabby poked his head out from behind it, gazing up and down the street before making a dash across the snowy street, shaking his paws frantically to get rid of the snow once he'd found a patch behind a turned over yard sign that was snow free. Oh, he did _not_ like getting wet and, while rain was worse, snow was still liquid enough to make him an unhappy cat. The voices didn't do any good for his mood either as he heard them, the whispers straining against the wind around him.

There was hope yet though; he'd seen her. She had changed since he had last seen her, but he was certain that he had found her. After all his searching, he had managed to find the first when the evils first made contact. The snow wasn't supposed to be here, everyone seemed to know that, but there was something far more sinister about the drifts that had already begun to form. It was a cloaking mechanism for them, hiding the creatures and settling them in upon the ground when no one would be looking for them. It wasn't right and Apollo had to figure out how to get back to the girl he'd seen this morning. It was _essential_ that he got to her before anything happened. The tension was rising in the air as his fur stood on end; the creatures were waiting, but for what? Orders to go on or for the right person to come along so they could begin?

So he sat behind the sign, waiting before the same bus stop from that morning, hoping she'd come by soon enough. It was getting cold and, even with his thick fur, he could feel the chill. It did not make Apollo feel any more comfortable being out there.

_You must find them, Apollo_. Pluto had spoken to him, waking his memories not long ago. He closed his eyes, sighing as the memory played in his head, her voice floating through his mind. _The Earth needs protection; the Moon cannot do it any longer and it's up to those who were destined to be silent watchers to stand proud again._ Life wasn't supposed to change like this, Apollo knew it, but the hands of fate were tricky. His own memories were fuzzy, unreadable for the time. It would get easier though, he thought, hoping that his prediction would be correct.

Across the street, a bus came to a halt. Calling out farewell to her friends, he saw the same girl and made a point of trailing behind her.

--

It had been an easier day, Emi would grant it that. Not that it had been a fun day though, considering she had nearly failed her Algebra quiz that afternoon and now had to show her mother her failing grade in that class. Well, she thought as she crossed her arms over her chest (grateful that she had worn a coat that day), she could always show the grades to her dad, who had always been far more lenient with them. But that was going about and playing both parents against one another and, while the prospect of not getting berated for the grade, it would be far more peaceful to get it over with rather than have a fight extending across weeks or months between the two feuding adults.

Emi dragged her feet as she walked home, kicking snow up in front of her as she kept up her pace. It was chance that made her turn around, something tingling at the back of her neck as she whirled around. She caught the tail end (literally, the tail) of a cat, the same brown fur triggering her memories of this morning. "You again?" She questioned as she backtracked, crouching down by the fence the animal had vanished into. "Come here, kitty, I'm not gonna hurt you." But the animal seemed to be gone and, frowning, Emi stood up to her full height, shaking her head, muttering under her breath, lancing across the street at a yard that was probably home to children, for there were already a few snowmen built along the snowy lawn. She smiled, tilting her head at them, but the smile was gone in an instant when one of the arms moved. "What?" Emi whispered. She must be seeing things—the last time she checked, snowmen did not move!

Not just one, though, but all three of the snowmen on the yard had begun to move, shifting their arms, dragging their bodies across the snow covered world, coming towards…well, her! Everything in her head was screaming for Emi to make a run for it, to dash away and hope she was as fast as she thought she was (which, in this case, would be to be the faster runner) but her feet remained frozen to the spot. One of them held her in its gaze and Emi thought, at the back of her head, how tired she was feeling. Something wasn't right and they kept getting closer and closer to her.

The weight on her shoulder didn't register right away until she felt claws digging through her coat. She gave a yelp, turning, wincing as the claws dug in deeper. A brown tabby had perched itself upon her shoulder, a frantic look on its face. "Well, are you going to just stand there and let them steal your energy or are you going to run?!" It exclaimed, almost exasperated but, at the same time, there was worry tinted in its voice. Emi didn't need to be told twice as she finally found herself slipping away from the hold. Her feet moved and she sped down the street in the opposite direction of it.

The chase was on.

--  
**_Author's Note:_**_ Well, there we go for the first chapter! Leave me a review and stay tuned for the next installment!_


	2. The Good Fight

**Gathering**

**Chapter Two: The Good Fight**

Unable to catch her breath, Emi kept running. She could hear shouts from behind her, cries of fright as more and more of the snow monsters surfaced from the drifts and yards all around her. This wasn't good, oh no this was _not_ good! "This has to be some sort of nightmare!" Emi cried as she rounded the corner, taking one more turn down an alleyway, stopping for a few moments to try and slow down for just a moment. The cat had hung onto her coat extremely well, his claws digging into the fabric of her coat. "What _are_ those things?" She snapped to the animal, not really thinking. Of course, talking to a cat really seemed crazy as she inwardly groaned. Great, just fabulous, she thought, I'm talking to a _cat_ and I expect it to give me answers. What next?

"They're known as youmas, being sent from a higher power to collect energy to send back to the mother ship." The cat rattled off in a male voice quite accurately. Emi blinked a few times, frowning as she twisted her head to look on her shoulder, mouth agape as she tried to find words. "There's no time to explain, considering we're in a closed in area and they'll be coming through here in, oh, a minute at the least?"

"Well what am I supposed to do then?" She squeaked as the cat jumped off her shoulder. "Tackle them? Take off their arms and noses? There's not a whole lot you can do to defeat a snowman."

"Oh but they're not snowmen, didn't you catch that?" The cat gave her an irritated look, rolling his brown eyes and sighing.

"No, sorry, I didn't catch that, I was too busy trying to figure out how _not_ to get eaten by snowmen!" Emi shot back angrily at the animal. Her eyes snapped back down the alley and, true to his word, the cat had been right: she could see the shadows of the creatures moving ever closer towards the entrance of her not so hidden hiding place. "You haven't answered my question of what I'm supposed to do!" She added in a tremulous voice.

"Fight them, of course!" He gave her another strange look before his eyes closed. A symbol upon his shoulder burned brightly for a moment before an object materialized mid-air, falling to the snow. Emi leaned forwards, kneeling down as she caught sight of a strange pen. "Take that pen and shout 'Gaia Power, Make-Up!'." He informed her in a serious tone. "You'd better do it quick, they're coming fast!" The creatures were closing in upon the alley. The object had done it, the cat noted as more and more of them started to appear. Emi wasn't watching though as she gazed down at the object, eyes narrowed slightly.

There was a strange power that came from it, she could feel it even with her fingers hovering in the air above it, not even touching it. It was familiar, which was another odd thing, considering she had never seen it before in her life. It pulsed with life, whispering her name, images flashing before her eyes as she got closer to it. _Take me! Hold me! Remember me!_ It cried out to her as her fingers finally grasped the henshin in her hands. The power that surged through her fingertips was both foreign and familiar at the same time as she gasped, her eyes snapping open. Such a rush, she thought, finding a giddy smile slip to her lips for just a moment. She lifted her hand, her words drowned out by the monster forming before her; the different bits of the snow army came together while she wasn't looking, getting bigger as it looked down hungrily at the new power surge that seemed to call out to them; a nice, tasty snack on a silver platter they could deliver to their mistresses.

Nostalgia that she had never felt before filled her senses as the light from the henshin vanished into the air. Emi gazed down at herself, startled at the Senshi fuku she wore instead of her school uniform. The dual colors of dark green and a medium blue caught her attention first, eyes moving to the elbow length white gloves tipped with green down to her feet where boots cut off at the ankle had the same shade as well. Something ancient moved inside of her, whispering words as she opened her mouth, speaking from far away inside her head while she seemed perfectly present in the time. "You'll go no further!" She shouted at the creature. "I am Sailor Gaia, protector of this planet and you will be destroyed! Go back where you came from or feel the power of the Earth!" Emi would have laughed if she could at the words; so melodramatic though, then again, she had to admit she was in a situation that seemed to need words such as those.

"_A tasty morsel for our mistresses, such power you have!_" The creature was nearly as tall as the buildings that surrounded Emi on both sides. "_We shall swallow you whole and take every last drop of energy you possess_!"

Emi gulped. "I-I don't think so!" The ancient words seemed to have died on her tongue, confidence gone and set with a new feeling: panic! Her body trembled as she took a few steps back away from the creature. If this was a dream, she thought, I'd really like to wake up from it _right now_ so I'm not _eaten_ by a snow monster!

It was laughing at her trembling body, a massive step forward propelling it closer to her. A hand moved, swiping down and Emi ducked, standing up again when she thought it was safe. Something she figured she'd have to note next time would be to _wait_ a moment before standing again just in case a different hand wanted to reach out and smack her if the first had missed. The wind was knocked from her lungs as she hit the wall across the alley hard, body sliding down to the snowy ground as she saw stars spinning in front of her vision. Her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to stand again but a wave of nausea washed over her, unexpected and completely throwing her off guard. No, this wasn't supposed to be happening! Emi was supposed to be home, studying for her History test, maybe teasing Kohaku as they worked together, and being completely normal! This dream needed to end, she thought, this dream had to end.

_You can't give up though._ A voice inside of her rumbled; time stopped and for a moment Emi breathed in and out, simply being as she braced herself against the wall. _You have a duty. Pull yourself together and do it!_ Her hands began to glow, so soft and so beautiful, the green light puncturing the snowy hand that reached out for her again. _Now, fight the good fight!_

"**GAIA **…" Every fiber of her being seemed to pull together as her eyes opened, staring straight into the eye of the enemy, "**DRAGON'S FURY!**" The energy shot forth from her hands, rocketing into the air, briefly taking the form of a dragon before it smashed into the snow beings. There was an indistinguishable cry from the beast before it burst into a spray of water that completely drenched Emi and the cat, the latter completely taken aback and angered at suddenly finding himself soaked to the bone.

"Did you _have_ to make it turn to water?" He cried out, shaking his entire body, turning accusatory eyes upon the girl. He had to admit though, grudgingly, that she did well enough. "Emi?" She didn't seem to 

be listening, her body still oppressed against the wall, staring dazed at the space in front of her. The fuku she had worn vanished, leaving her in her school uniform again. "Emi, answer me!" He snapped, bounding in front of her, staring up at her vacant eyes. "Emi!"

"I defeated a monster," She whispered, her voice trembling as she swallowed. "I…" Without warning, her eyes rolled back, her body going limp as she slid down the rest of the wall. She had fainted.

"You have your work cut out for you, by the looks of things," Before the cat could speak, a different voice murmured from the shadows, cold eyes the color of steel staring at the passed out form of the Senshi. "She used too much power. You'll need to teach her to hold back unless she wants to make it a habit to pass out." A hand ran through dark hair as the male turned away from the scene.

"You could help, you know!" The cat replied tersely. "I very well can't get her home and she'll get sick out here in the cold." There was a pause before he added, "It's what your sister would do and you know it." The male grimaced in the darkness, realizing that the cat had pulled him into this with those words and they both knew it. He turned around, coming from the shadows, bending down to grab a hold of Emi around her waist, hoisting her upwards, draping one limp arm around his neck.

"Only because she'd do it and only because this is the first time she's changed." The male said to the cat who had hopped upon his free shoulder. "Don't think I'll make a habit of saving you or your Senshi." The cat smirked as they vanished from the alleyway.

--

"Sisters, I think we have a problem." Moanna stared at the screen before her, blue eyes narrowed at the image readings that she was getting. She had sent out numerous scouts upon the planet to track down the most viable energy so she could go and obtain what her servants had before. Yet there was no sign of life, nothing at all when before everything had been off the charts, teeming with energy and potential. Something was not right and she knew it. "Something's disturbing us. It seems we may have been wrong to think this planet would be unprotected."

"Moanna, don't worry so," Zeru replied. "Everything will go to plan. Master always says it will work and it always works. Have faith."

The four sisters fell into their own silence. The plan would work, they had been told it would succeed. They had more than enough time to complete their project, enough time to capture the energy that was needed and enough time to bring this silly planet to its knees. Earth was unprotected now, or so they had thought. Moanna was still disturbed as she stared at the screen.

Perhaps they had been wrong. She shook her head as she sighed, turning off the monitor. Tomorrow she would go out among these humans. Tomorrow she would find the weakest point and attack. If her servants were being destroyed, then there was a need for more power and that was something that she could deliver.

A low laugh escaped her lips. _I'm coming for you._


	3. A History in Dust

**Gathering**

**Chapter Three: A History in Dust**

Three days Emi had been in bed with a cold. The past three days had been completely miserable for her as she sniffled and sneezed her way through the days, unable to go to school and utterly angry at the cat for letting her get this sick. Dazed and confused for the first two days, she had completely forgotten about the animal, thinking that the episode back in the alleyway had simply been a bad dream and her cold stemmed from simply being out in the snow for too long. On the third day, she woke with a clearer head and a brown cat sitting at the end of her bed.

"Finally, you're awake," He stated in a neutral tone. "I was wondering when you'd finally wake up. Or are you incoherent again and think that I'm a dream?" Emi blinked, trying to get rid of the heaviness on her head, reaching across for a tissue to blow her nose. "Fine, take your time, we've got all of it in the world," The cat added sarcastically. Emi shot him a glare.

"Why're you still here? Can't you just go away and leave me alone? Get someone else to do whatever you want to do because _I'm_ not having any of it!" She curled onto her side, avoiding the gaze of the animal behind her.

"Stop being so stubborn and listen?" The cat seemed to suggest but Emi knew better as she turned back over to look at him. He was going to keep talking, whether she wanted to listen or not, something that made her sigh and give up. "Better," He replied smugly, ducking in time so as not to be hit by a flying used tissue. "That's disgusting."

"Too bad," Emi grumbled. She sat up, pulling her knees up to her chest, staring blearily at the animal. "Do you even have a name or shall I keep calling you cat?" She asked point-blank as she tilted her head ever so slightly to the right. "And how can you talk? I mean, it's not every day I come across a talking cat."

The cat bristled slightly. "I'm not just some cat," He said defensively. "My name is Apollo and technically I am a Mauian." Her blank look made him pause a moment before adding, "From a different world." That made sense as she nodded her head. "I can talk because…well I can talk and that's all we need to say for that." He paced along the end of her bed before he found a spot he liked, making himself comfortable on the bed.

"Why me?" Emi muttered as she sighed, sniffing again, fighting the urge to sneeze again. "I mean, I'm not really special. I'm just ordinary, you know?" She closed her eyes, unable to keep them open much longer anyways, drifting off again. Apollo watched her for a few moments, an odd tenderness crossing his face before it went away.

"Sometimes we just have to take what's given to us," He muttered, shaking his head. "Sometimes we're stronger than we think we are and only need to wake up from sleeping to realize it." His head rested upon his paws as he continued, "Once, a long time ago, there was a great kingdom upon the moon, watching over this world, silently guiding it. They were the central protection, able to keep Earth from harm if anything happened. But we had our own defenses—the Princess and her four Guardians from the four directions protected this planet just as much as the Princesses from across the Solar System. 

There was peace for many years but the peace was shattered in an instant when darkness touched our planet."

Those had been dark times, Apollo recalled through dimmed memories as he tried to remember it all. It felt as though, when he grew close to opening a doorway that would allow him to remember, something always pulled him back, telling him to be patient, to wait and it would all make sense in the end. His dark brown eyes flickered up to the girl who had already fallen asleep and then closed them once again. It had to all make sense in the end; they had a mission. "We have to find her," He whispered, his heart tugging inside his chest. "We need to find her before it becomes too late."

He lay his head upon his paws, eyes closing as the images that blurred of the past roamed in front of his vision as a girl called out his name. _Come and find me!_

_I'm coming. I'm coming, Princess._

--

How many years had it been since she had stood outside the wrought iron gates of the mansion on the hill? Her slender hands wrapped around the bars that separated Toyama Sayuri from passing through the gates into the home she had spent her childhood in. Or at least, what remained of the original structure. Years, she thought, and still the sting of ash remained in the air, the heat of the flames upon her cheeks. Her gray eyes gazed coldly at the mansion, gripping the bars tighter between her hands at the swirl of images and sound clashing against her skull. So many memories that wanted to spill out; it was hard to recall them with much detail as they remained fuzzy and indistinct in her mind. It was probably better that way, Sayuri thought bitterly as she let go of the bars to simply stare at the mansion.

They used to be happy, she remembered, before all of this had happened. She remembered her mother's laughter through the halls, how her father could make himself be heard across the household in his booming voice, and her brother running up and down the halls, trying to make as much noise as he could to annoy his older sister. She'd always been so annoyed with him, Sayuri remembered, always trying to get him in trouble whenever she could, much to her mother's disappointment. Her parents had such dreams, such ideas for their children that had all gone up in flames when the fire started. Sayuri had only been six years old when she was orphaned.

The wind picked up, blowing a few golden strands of hair into her face, which she brushed away moments later as a frown creased her brow. That had been long ago, she had to keep reminding herself of that. Fire burned beyond her vision as she sighed, turning away from the house, shoving her hands into her pockets as she went along down the street. She couldn't bear standing there much longer with the wind whispering into her ear _all your fault_ over and over again. There was such venom in the voice that she winced, stopping in the middle of the street, staring back over her shoulder at the rebuilt house she had once called home.

The blare of a horn caught her by surprise as she jumped, eyes wide as the vehicle screeched to a halt in front of her. The woman in the driver's seat leaned out the window, her eyes blazing with anger. "Get moving kid, the street's no place to stand!" She shouted, shaking a fist at Sayuri. The girl's gaze narrowed, staring down the woman a moment before she finished crossing the street, watching carefully as the car zoomed off down the road.

"Stupid, impatient people," She muttered, hitching her bag farther up onto her shoulder before she continued down the street, refusing to look back a second time as she vanished around the next corner, hurrying along her way.

Cold eyes watched as she vanished from view, a male sighing in the darkness. His eyes closed as the voice of his sister entered his head. "She'll remember someday soon, brother. Patience."

Hoshiko always spoke with sense, he thought with a light smile playing there. He had to wait. Things would work out eventually; he knew that's how it always seemed to work. Silently, he slipped back into the shadows, his gaze constantly watching, careful not to be seen, simply waiting.

--

_**Author's Notes**__: Hey friends! Sorry this was so short—thanks for reading the latest installment, you lot know I love to see that people are actually reading what I write. Please be sure to drop a review my way with your thoughts because I also love hearing from you guys and knowing what _you_ think! A quick thing before I end this: Considering I have finals and all sorts of things coming up in the next week and a half (God where did my semester go?) the installments may not be coming every week as I've been trying to do. Please be patient and the installments will come back regularly by the end of May, promise. Though who knows—I may end up getting all inspired and writing installments to be posted anyways :D_


	4. Burning Up

**Gathering**

**Chapter Four: Burning Up**

_A Hero Rising?: Pictures of the Mysterious Senshi! Full story on A3_. The headlines on the front page of the paper weren't unfamiliar to see now, since a few smaller stories had constantly appeared in the papers for the past few weeks now. "They could have seriously picked a better picture of me," Emi grumbled as she nibbled on her toast, squinting at the blurred image from the other day when she'd simply been at the right place and time during a robbery. To be honest, she'd been scared out of her mind and had to sit down when she'd gotten the chance after everything had been sorted out. Not exactly the attributes of a 'hero'. Apollo, who had seated himself upon the table while reading the front page, glanced up and rolled his eyes at her charge.

"We have far more important things to focus on than whether or not you look good in the paper," He grumbled. Of course Emi knew this as she made a face, cramming the rest of the toast into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

"You mean like getting a passing grade in Algebra so I can graduate?" She couldn't help it as she teased him, ducking as she missed the paw that swatted forth to hit her on the head. "Kidding, only kidding!" She held her hands up in defeat and he sat still again while she went about putting her dish in the sink, grabbing her lunch for the day.

"There's something in the air," Apollo muttered. It was something they both could feel, a change in the winds. It was odd, Emi thought as she packed up her bag. Weeks ago she wouldn't have noticed it but there was a change going on inside of her as well. Something stirred, feeling the distinct changes around her from the weather to the subtle power that charged the air when she felt an attack coming. She wouldn't have noticed before but now she was slowly adjusting to it. "They haven't attacked in a while; I wonder what's holding them back."

"I, for one, am not going to complain about that," Emi voiced as she slid her book bag onto her shoulder. A frown creased her brow as she opened her mouth, closing it again and then, in the end, she decided to share as Apollo gave her a strange look. "I've been having dreams…"

"Dreams?" Apollo tilted his head to the side, watching her as she fidgeted in front of him. "What kind of dreams?"

"I'm in a garden," She started slowly. "Its summertime, I think, and I'm looking for someone or something but everything falls to pieces. I suffocate on the darkness." Emi shook her head, forcing a chuckle from her lips. "Oh well, maybe I'm just getting too stressed out or something huh?" Before Apollo could be given the chance to interject, she continued on, "Well, I have to go. I told Kohaku I'd meet him at the bus stop today. I won't be home afterwards either—I have dinner with dad and his _girlfriend_ tonight." She made a face. "That should be fun." She didn't really like the idea that her dad found a woman who was old enough to be an older sister to Emi attractive. Not that she wanted her parents back together either, because that in itself would be a disaster. Nonetheless, she had promised she'd meet the girl at least and the plus side would be that her dad might have a present in store as he tried to buy his way into her life now that he'd been so absent from it in these past two years.

Slipping into her shoes and giving Apollo a pat on the head (something he did not enjoy), Emi was out the door. Apollo hopped off the table, jumping up into the window sill, his head poking out between the curtains as he heard her surprised reaction, catching a moment between Emi and Kohaku who had obviously come to meet her at her house instead. She had thrown her arms around his neck in an embrace, lips pressed against his for a few moments before they hurried off to the bus hand in hand.

She had so much potential, Apollo thought as he left the window, landing softly upon the floor. She had proven herself able to produce the power and the starts of what looked like a control over them, but there was still much she had to learn. The others would be coming here, he thought as he curled up on the cough, resting his head upon his front paws, closing his eyes. They would be drawn and, one by one, the team would come together and then, together, they would find the Princess and get rid of this evil. The only puzzling thing was, why hadn't they seen more of the enemy?

One thing he knew for sure was the fact that this calm wasn't going to last long. A storm was coming and she needed to be prepared. Both of them needed to be ready.

--

The Master was not pleased. Down in the cold center beneath the ground that the humans walked over, the four sisters waited impatiently for him to speak again. His lips parted as the shadowed image on the screen thought about speaking but, instead, the lips shut again and the image vanished after a moment. The women were silent where they sat, each lost in their own thoughts.

"We have to try harder," Moanna said as she grit her teeth together, dark blue gaze gazing around the circle. "If we're to do our job correctly we need to gather more energy."

"Duh," Azar rolled her crimson eyes, lips parting in a bored sigh. "If you'd let me go out there, I'm _sure_ I could gather a sufficient amount." Fire burned in her blood as she met her sister's gaze, quirking a brow. She was both powerful and dangerous at the same time, a tricky choice to send out to the field. Moanna knew. They all had their gifts, strengths and weaknesses when they had to go out to use their abilities that the Master had given them when they had joined him.

"We can't-" Moanna started but she was interrupted as Enki spoke up from where she sat by the screen.

"There's no reason Azar can't go and attempt to do things her way," Enki rolled her shoulders once, green gaze upon the two. "Besides, one never knows what fire damage can do to people."

All eyes turned to the final sister, Zeru, who simply nodded in silent agreement with her sisters, a devious grin spreading across her pale features. "It's settled then!" Azar crowed. "Let us see how these Earthlings take to fire."

--

If there was such a place as hell, Emi had a feeling it would be here at the restaurant while she attempted to sit through a meal with her father and _Gina_. Topics had been exhausted easily, leaving them in awkward silence as they worked to finish the meal and get out of there as soon as they could. Emi knew her father was uncomfortable, especially since Emi kept shooting him looks throughout the entire night when the conversation died or when Gina decided to bring up stupid things like new shoes 

or what she thought about something that didn't matter like camping or her co-workers or, the thing that horrified Emi, her own stories of when she had gone off to University (mostly because that hadn't been too long ago for Gina). Thankfully the other woman had gone off to the bathroom, leaving Emi alone with her father as the minutes ticked past between them in silence, broken only when Emi's father asked questions.

"Are you still seeing that boy?"

"You mean Kohaku? Because the answer's yes, I am."

"And you're sure you want to go to Tokyo University?"

"Yes, Dad, I am."

"Keeping up your good grades?"

"My GPA's fine."

Another prolonged moment of silence as Emi fidgeted with her napkin and her father cleaned off his glasses.

"So, what do you think of her?" The question was filled with an unknown hope and a need for the approval from the eighteen year old as their similar blue gazes met across the table. Outwardly, Emi sighed, her shoulders sagging a bit as she poked at her food.

"She seems…nice, I guess." Telling her father the truth wasn't what she wanted to do, lest he get angry with her for her opinion. Honestly, Emi disliked Gina, that much could be seen in how she reacted to the young, seemingly brainless woman who had sat across the table from her the entire evening. As Gina came back over, a simpering smile on her face, Emi stood up abruptly. "Uh," She stammered, trying to find a reason for her sudden rise to her feet. "Sorry, I'll be back." Ignoring the strange look her father was giving her and the blank stare from Gina, Emi left the table in a hurry, making a swift exit to the ladies' room, taking a deep breath of powdered scented air as she moved to the sink, staring at her reflection.

Honestly, she was supposed to be playing nice. She was supposed to be doing something other than simply looking like an idiot in front of her dad and the brainless twit. Turning on the waters, she ran her hands beneath the flowing liquid, smoothing back a few strands of hair that had escaped from the bun she'd managed to put her hair back into earlier that evening. She'd just clean up in here for a few moments, breathe, and then go back out there to finish off the evening.

Nothing ever seemed to go as planned anymore. The feeling hit her fast and strong, her hands gripping along the edge of the skin as her knees grew weak. It was hot! Too hot, she knew because someone shouldn't be burning up like this. Her eyes squeezed shut, opening again as she felt the flash of heat vanishing from her, the faint traces lingering on the outskirts of her senses. Something wasn't right, she knew it as she glanced around the bathroom, pulling herself back to her feet, staring back at her reflection. The tug inside was driving her away from the restaurant, whispering that she had to hurry before everything burned to ash. But how could she leave now when her dad was expecting her to come back to the table any minute? Besides, she needed Apollo to help her…

No, she didn't need him to tell her what to do. She'd been using him as a crutch the past few times but now she had to try and do something on her own without his instructions. It was only natural that this day would have to come but it didn't help with the knots in her stomach as she hurried over to the window along the far wall. With a bit of pressure and unlocking, she managed to push it open. The drop wasn't far, Emi suddenly thankful that the restaurant was at ground level. She slipped out of the window, landing on the concrete, nearly losing her balance in the process. She caught herself with palms open and pressed against the building, taking a moment to brush off her skirt and care legs before she concentrated: where was the pull coming from?

With her heart leading the way, Emi hurried down the streets, stumbling along as she steadily grew hotter and hotter as she moved. Beads of sweat formed upon her brow as she paused, trying to catch her breath. Standing straight again, her shoulder ran right into another girls. "I'm sorry!" Emi muttered, ignoring the piercing stare the girl had given her, hurrying along as fast as she could. It was then that she noticed something strange, coming to a fast sudden halt. Were her eyes playing tricks on her but were the power lines and streetlamps on _fire_?

Suddenly, without warning, sparks jumped from above where Emi thought she saw fire, growing into blazing shapes that resembled humans in a way. The panic that started was unbelievable as the people screamed and shouted, the crowds pushing away from the things they were reaching out, grasping people, pulling what they could from the reserves of energy within them. Emi found herself shoved and pushed backwards until she managed to get free from the crowd, stumbling down onto her behind in a shop entryway.

"Yes, run, run you silly creatures!" A voice high above laughed as Emi turned her eyes towards the sound, slowly rising back to her feet. The woman floated high above them, her hair flaming red, her crimson eyes dancing with delight at the chaos her creatures were creating. "Run and hide but you cannot fire the fires that dwell within me, Azar, keeper of the flame!"

She had to react. Holding out the hanshin, she shouted "**GAIA POWER, MAKE-UP**!" Emi was grateful for the chaos that made it easy for her to change in the open: few would recall the sweat-soaked girl on the ground when they were running for their lives. Quickly, she shouted, "_Move_!" As she shoved her way through the crowd towards the street clogged with traffic that had halted as people raced from their vehicles in fright. "Stop! In the name of Earth, I command you to cease!" Her lips were set in determination though she could feel her knees shaking as she stared upwards at the woman who controlled the fire creatures.

"Ah, the little Senshi, we finally meet in person." There was a girlish laugh as Azar tapped a finger to her chin. "You defeated my sister's initial energy probes but now that we meet face-to-face you'll have to see how well you can play with fire!" A fireball formed in her delicate hand as she stared down manically at Gaia. "Be careful not to get _burned_ though!" Azar was laughing as she threw it down to Gaia. The senshi's first instinct was to duck, falling down quickly to the ground as the incredibly heat passed over her body. "Oh, you're a quick one!"

Gaia had scrambled back to her feet as the fireball whirled around and soared back towards her. She didn't catch it in time, turning as she saw the burning energy hurtling towards her. She gave a strangled cry, unable to move quick enough. Two hands reached out, grasping Gaia by the shoulders, a body in front of her own. "Believe," A voice whispered before the flames devoured them both.

--

_**Author's Notes**__: Hah, I love when I finally have a chance to write cliff-hangers. Anyways, the usual spiel goes here: leave me a review and I become super happy. I may even try responding to them this time. I didn't know I had that option (they didn't used to when I wrote here ages and ages ago) so if you leave one I'll try to get back to you in a timely manner :D Also I'm pimping out _The Bedtime Story_ by MissSanyo, who is my brain twin, other writing half, etc. It's got roots with _The Memory Keeper_ and I always highly recommend her writing—she's utterly fab! Anyways, I may not get the next chapter up for a while since next week's installment would fall with finals and I need to get school first, obviously. So stay tuned and maybe I'll get a couple chapters up next time. See you all next time! _


	5. Suzaku

**Gathering**

**Chapter Five: Suzaku**

There was always that little voice in the back of the head, the feeling you got in your stomach, and that sense that, when things were going wrong, he _knew_. Apollo couldn't have said anything coherent to anyone else on the subject but, with his eyes snapping open, he woke up with a start. The sensation in his stomach, a pit that didn't want to go away, was this first hint that something was wrong. He was out the door within a few moments, hurrying as fast as his paws could carry him down the streets of the city.

_Burning_. That was the heat in the back of his head and in his heart. He shouldn't have been surprised, knowing his namesake was a connection to the same burning that brought forth the image of the Senshi from the Southern Kingdom, back when the Earth had been new. That had been so long ago but the same heat he had felt then was present in his mind as he grew closer and closer to the source of his anxiety.

People running away in the opposite direction he was going was the sign Apollo needed to know he was almost there. He picked up the pace, skidding around the corner before he came to a sudden halt. There, before him, he could see the fiery beast, almighty and powerful in the middle of the street. Yet as he squinted his eyes against the heat, he was alarmed to see two blurred outlines within the thing. Apollo didn't need to see who it was to know that Gaia stood within the inferno. He couldn't get any closer than he was though, unable to handle the heat.

_Could it be?_ He mused, closing his eyes for a brief moment before they snapped open again. Gaia wasn't alone in there and a power that felt oddly familiar held them in limbo. For how much longer though was the question plaguing his mind.

--

The flames flew higher and higher around them but she knew they would be safe within them. Despite the heat that should have scorched their skin and the fire that would have killed them, Sayuri held the Senshi close within her embrace, protecting the girl from the dangerous flames that threatened to consume them. Should she let go and the other girl's life would have been finished, making her cling to the other girl, shielding her from the fires that didn't seem to touch her.

Truthfully, she hadn't been sure what she had been doing moments before the fire engulfed them both. Something inside had whispered she would be all right, that she would live and, taking the chance she had thrown herself headfirst before the girl. All around her, the heat should have destroyed them yet Sayuri felt nothing.

_You have the power. __**Use it**__!_ A warmth in her abdomen, drawing all the heat towards her as the flames grew less and less dangerous to anyone still in the area. Then, with a final pull, the fires had gone out completely, leaving the two young women standing alone in the middle of the street.

"We're alive!" The Senshi was shouting, a look of pure disbelief on her face before she turned to Sayuri. "How'd you _do_ that?" But there was no time for inquiry further than that as both heads turned when a third voice entered the fray.

"No one's able to tame my flames!" Azar was livid as the flames danced around her body floating above the two in the streets. Her hands had begun to glow again, filled with a fiery rage at having anyone put out her fires, ready to spew them back towards them. Sayuri didn't know if she could take it again and, as they were both prepared to make a run for it, a fourth and final voice called out to them.

"Take this, you'll need it!" Apollo had leapt up across the space between the two, a bright flash of light appearing before a henshin pen hovered in the air before Sayuri. She took it without thinking and words spilled from her lips as a fire surrounded her again in the shape of a bird, rearing upwards and vanishing as she reemerged from the light. Crimson and gold fuku covered her body, crimson heels clicking against the ground and the same steely eyes glaring upwards at Azar.

"You think you can bring it?" She jeered at the woman. "Don't mess with me, for I am Sailor Suzaku, Guardian of the Southern Kingdom and the sacred flames of the Phoenix!" Azar didn't answer as she gave a guttural cry, speeding downwards towards Suzaku. The Senshi flew upward and the two fiery forces collided mid-air. The space was suddenly filled with intense light as Gaia threw her arms up to cover her eyes, shielding herself until she could squint against it, watching as the two fought in the air. It was fire against fire and, while Azar had power to her, it was nothing compared to the strength of the flames that Suzaku could conjure in return.

"**SUZAKU PHOENIX FLAMES!**" Fire erupted from her hands, flying swiftly towards Azar, taking the shape of the mighty phoenix, smashing into the villain. Azar gave a loud shriek of rage, unable to fight back the flames, falling to her knees before they died down. Turning quickly to glance behind her, the cold gaze of the Senshi of fire seemed alight as she shouted to Gaia, "Quick! You have to finish it!"

She had to finish it, Gaia and Suzaku both knew it. Gritting her teeth, Gaia surged forwards. "**GAIA DRAGON'S FURY!**" It rose up into the air before the dragon energy opened its mouth, swallowing Azar whole. There was screaming from within the energized attack but, as it faded into the air, nothing remained of the fiery woman. Gaia let out a sigh of relief, yet her knees shook slightly as she turned her head to the side, looking at the other Senshi for the first time. She looked familiar, yet Gaia knew she hadn't seen this girl before in her life. Before she could say anything though, Apollo interjected.

"Suzaku, kill the fires and quickly! We need to get out of here before folks start coming back." He was all about business as he leapt onto Gaia's shoulder, watching in slight awe as the Senshi of fire swallowed up the remaining blazes that had gone up around them until there was nothing left of the flames that had consumed her before. Yet she was weak, staggering to the side, a hand to her forehead. Gaia leaned forwards, grasping the girl by the arm.

"I know, it's a lot. Come on, we'll get somewhere safe and you can rest." Her voice was reassuring and, taking her words, Suzaku nodded and the three vanished into the shadows as the world behind them came back to life. There was confusion yet, in all of it, a sense of awe and astonishment that there were people talking of two girls saving them. It seemed impossible and yet, nothing seemed to make much sense anymore.

--

Across town, Emi winced as her mother lectured her in the quiet kitchen. "That was _incredibly_ rude of you to just up and leave your father like that! And in the middle of dinner!" Emi had known this talk 

would be coming and simply had to endure it, gritting her teeth and taking the yelling that her mother doled out. "I'm _very _disappointed in you, Emi, and I expect better next time."

Emi muttered "I'm sorry," for about the millionth time before she was finally able to slip away, hurrying back up the steps, flinging the door open to her room before she flopped back onto her bed. "I swear," She muttered, rolling her eyes, "if she knew why I'd left maybe she wouldn't be lecturing me." A cough and a scowl from Apollo prompted her to add, "Not like I _would_, sheesh! I'd look completely deranged and I'd rather not be locked away, thanks."

"Few people would believe us if we said we were the ones who had stopped Azar," From the chair at Emi's desk, Toyama Sayuri sat. Her eyes had gone back to their chilled demeanor from before, gazing out at the city lights before her. "No one would believe us."

"No, they wouldn't," Emi agreed as she sat upright on her mattress, swinging her legs over the side, watching Sayuri with curiosity. "I have to say though," She added with a light smile, "It's good not to be alone anymore. It gets lonely trying to do this without someone else—well, someone _human_—to confide in and stuff." She gave a glance to Apollo before turning her eyes back to Sayuri. "Where do you live?"

"No where right now," Sayuri answered truthfully. "My parents…died a long time ago. I'm eighteen now so I don't have to live in foster care anymore so I left and came here."

"You can stay here for now, if you'd like!" Emi said brightly, clapping her hands together. "We don't want you going out and just sleeping anywhere. I've got a sleeping bag and some clothes you can borrow and I'm sure it'll be fine for now. I'm almost done with school so you wouldn't have to be alone for too long and I'm sure Apollo could keep you company during the day if you don't have anywhere to go…" As Emi chattered on, Sayuri glanced at the cat who was curled up at the end of Emi's bed. Her eyes narrowed slightly, biting down on her lips. A talking cat, who knew? Well, she didn't trust the thing, not now.

"Fine, I'll stay." Unable to protest the hug that Emi gave her, Sayuri glanced back out at the city lights as the girl behind her started to get everything set up for Sayuri. Well, this was certainly unexpected. Yet, somehow, she knew it was right. Lying awake for a long while after Emi had dozed off, sleep finally took her and she dreamed of fires and the great bird.

--

"No!" Enki slammed her fist into the console. Azar was defeated and she knew this was not news that would please her master. There was so much at stake here and now, with two Senshi trying to prevent them from gathering what they needed, even more time would need to be taken in order to bring about what they all desired: the Earth and the Golden Center.

"We will try harder next time, sister," Moanna reassured Enki, placing a hand to her sister's shoulder. "We will try harder to finish them off and get what we deserve."

"You'd better hope so, or the Master will destroy us all and it will all be for nothing." Enki grit her teeth together as she flipped off the streaming video that had been playing over and over again, replaying the battle that had destroyed the sister of fire. "Zeru, you'll be next to go."

From where she sat by the windows, the lithe form of the wind child turned her head, nodding gentle, a smile playing on her lips. "Yes sister, I'll do what I must." Silence closed in around them, broken only by the soft blow of wind through the air as Zeru closed her eyes.

_I will find you, Senshi, and you will know the powers of the wind!_

--

_**Author's Notes:**__ Oh hello there everyone! Sorry for the delay in this chapter. I had so much trouble writing it but I'm pretty pleased with what I have so far. Hopefully I'll be able to get the next chapter up within a week or so. Keep your eyes peeled! As always, I enjoy knowing what you think so don't be shy and feel free to drop me a review or something. Catch y'all next time!_

_Oh and PS: I'm pimping out another story again- if you liked _The Memory Keeper_ be sure to read _ The Bedtime Story _by MissSanyo!_


	6. Surfacing

**Gathering**

**Chapter Six: Surfacing**

_In her dreams, she was running as fast as she could. The world was falling apart all around her and there was nothing she could do. The fires burned across the city, screaming rising up above the noise of the soldiers as the hostile take-over of Earth progressed. Her fingers clenched upon the balcony rail; her knees were weak and it was hard to breathe. There was nothing she could do and that was the most frustrating thing of it all._

"_Please!" She cried out into the air. "Stop, please!"_

It was the second night in a row that Emi had been unable to sleep through the night. She sat up in bed, careful not to disturb Sayuri before she slipped out of it, moving down the stairs to the kitchen. One glass of water later and the sun was starting to rise. She sat at the table, watching as the sky began to turn pale pink with each passing moment. Her head turned when Apollo entered the room. "You're up early," Emi commented as she ran a finger around the rim of her glass.

"Actually, I was just about to say the same for you." He leapt up onto the table, sitting down next to the girl. "What're you doing awake so early?"

"I couldn't sleep," Emi's eyes were trained on the window, watching carefully as the moon slowly vanished from the sky. "I keep having these dreams. I just…I don't know really. Everything's falling apart and there's nothing I can do to stop it. The darkness is taking over and I'm just so helpless."

Apollo was thoughtful for a few moments. "Your memories are starting to come back. It's a slow process but the memories from before, from the Silver Millennium, will start to resurface again."

"Are they all so painful?"

"Some of them are, yes, other not so much." Apollo had a strange look in his eye that vanished after a moment. "The pain will pass and you'll find there are other memories there, other feelings hidden beneath it all." It was comforting and Emi nodded, standing to put her glass away. In the eastern sky, the sun was rising slowly, a new day dawning upon them.

--

"Well, what do you think?" Sayuri panted as she set down another box in the front hallway. Emi frowned as she looked around the massive house, a little uncertain just yet. It had been Sayuri's idea that, after Emi had graduated, they find a place to live on their own. Of course, this idea hadn't gone over well with her mother at all ("You're going to live _where_ and with _whom_?") nor had it gone well with her dad either ("Are you sure you're ready to be doing this?"). But, in the end, it had been Emi's decision on where she was going to live and with whom she'd live with. Neither of her parents knew Sayuri, which was their initial hesitance, yet she had charmed them slightly in order to get them to agree.

"It's _huge_, that's what I think," Emi said finally as she walked towards the grand staircase, running a finger over the dusty railing. "So, let me get this straight. You used to _live_ here?" The house had also been Sayuri's idea. It had been left for her by her family after they had died (of course, Sayuri hadn't 

said how they died just yet and Emi wasn't going to ask any questions about it) and worked perfectly as a home for the two. Besides, as Apollo had put it earlier when seeing the house, they still had fellow Senshi out there. It'd house all of them, in the end, and worked out just fine for the picky animal.

"It's big, I know, but it's better than what you'd get anywhere else," Sayuri gave Emi a grin before hurrying back out to get the rest of Emi's things. "Hey, be careful!" She shouted at Kohaku, who had nearly run into the blonde. "Christ, Emi, have your boy watch where he's going!"

"She doesn't mean any harm," Emi muttered as her boyfriend set the boxes he'd carried inside. "Thanks for coming to help us get all settled in." Another one of the iffy ones, Kohaku squinted his eyes up at the staircase and at the front entry hall. "Isn't it amazing?"

"It's big. Pretty cool, I guess," Kohaku said as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "But, Emi, are you _sure_ you want to do this?"

"You know," Emi growled, "it sure sounds like no one has any faith in me whatsoever."

"That's not what I meant!" Kohaku added in quickly, grabbing Emi by the hands. "C'mon, I'm just worried, that's all. I mean, we just finished school and you're all ready to go off and be on your own. It's just a surprise, you know?" Emi sighed, squeezing his hands. Of course, he had every right to be a little concerned. She hadn't been herself for weeks and everyone seemed to know it. This move only seemed to solidify their reasons to be worried about her.

"I'm fine; it's just a time for change, that's all."

Around the corner, the brown tabby listened to the conversation. It was a time for change and they knew it better than most in the world. Things were happening quicker than anyone could ever imagine. Emi and Sayuri had to be quick about finding the final three Senshi, one of whom was the Princess who would be able to rectify everything wrong that was going on now. Soon they'd have all the missing pieces and everything would be better again.

"Hey, stop spying on them!" Sayuri hissed from behind the cat, making him jump in fright. "That's so not polite." She gave him a look which he promptly gave right back.

"I'm not _spying_ on them!" He retorted in an attempt at a dignified voice. "I was just…just leaving." Nose in the air, tail swishing high behind him, the cat stalked out. Sayuri rolled her eyes and, unable to help herself, she peered around the corner to catch the couple having a quiet conversation together. It was somewhat heartwarming to see the guy trying so hard to accept that things were changing and there was far more to the story than he could ever imagine. Grabbing a box from the foot of the stairs, Sayuri took a breath and started up them.

Emi had already claimed her room when shown the house almost a week ago. It was a large space with a high ceiling and beautiful French windows that overlooked the backyard. Some of her things were already in the room, boxes strewn haphazardly by the cast iron bed frame and the chestnut bureau. It had been one of the many guest bedrooms before when Sayuri had lived in the house. Pushing the half closed door open with her hip, Sayuri expected the room to be empty, of course. Imagine her surprise to see someone standing at the window. She took in a breath, nearly dropping the box as she came to a 

quick halt. "Who the hell are you?" She snapped once she'd found her voice, setting the box down quickly, hands on her hips as she glared at the figure, who turned finally at her voice.

"Sorry, I was just enjoying the view from here," The man offered something of a half smile as he turned to face her. He wasn't unattractive, Sayuri had to admit, built slightly taller than she was with cold blue eyes and dark hair.

"How'd you get in here? I'd have seen you," Instead of asking the basic question of what he was doing there, Sayuri asked the next best thing. She'd have seen him come inside through the front…well, unless he'd come in through the kitchen door and taken the back staircase. Either way, she wanted to know. Something told he she should have been afraid of this man for coming into her home and not knowing how he'd gotten there, but there was a strange curiosity and a sense of déjà vu about all of this that she couldn't find herself to fear him.

"Window down the hall was open."

"So, what, you _climbed_ your way up here?" Sayuri was skeptical but, judging by the grin on the guy's face, he'd actually climbed up to the second story and come in through one of the windows. "Who are you?" She asked after a few moments. "I feel like…I feel like I know you." She shook her head. "But that's impossible since I've never met you before in my life."

The man shrugged his shoulders, hand slipping into the pockets of his jeans. "I can say, quite assuredly, that I am a friend." That wasn't the answer Sayuri was looking for.

"That's not an answer!" She snapped at him, hands falling off her hips as she strode towards him angrily. "What's your name?" But with each stride she took forwards, the man seemed to move backwards. She couldn't get close to him, even when she stretched her hand out to grab a hold of him so he'd stay still in one place.

"I am your friend, Sailor Suzaku, and will be there if you have need of me." That brought Sayuri to a halt, eyes wide as she stared at the man. "You mustn't waste time though. Find the Princess, find the center, and save the planet before it's too late. Already things are in motion and plans have been laid. You cannot stop the hands of fate from moving but you can act and change a few things along the way."

How had he known who she was? Sayuri opened her mouth to speak again but, in the blink of an eye, she found herself alone in the room. "Wait!" She shouted into the empty space, though the response she got wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"Who're you talking to?" Emi stepped into the room, setting down another box onto the floor, frowning at Sayuri, who simply shook her head.

"No one, apparently." She was out of the room before Emi could ask any other questions. When she was outside again, she got a strange sensation at the back of her neck, like she was being watched. Spinning on her heel, she stared up at the house and the trees that lines the drive. There was no one there, not that she could see at least. "Stupid," She grumbled as she picked up one of the last boxes to bring into the house with her.

From the trees, blue eyes watched her before vanishing into the air again.

--

Two women sat atop the roof, watching as the day turned to night again. The shorter woman reached out, grasping the taller woman's hand in her own, shivering in the night air that whipped through the small village.

"Is it time yet, Miyu?"

"No, Naoko, we can't."

"They need us! We can't stay here forever! I can feel it in the air and so can you."

"That's precisely why we need to stay here. Something's coming and we need to make sure this place is safe before we move on. You know the rules, Naoko."

"The water's churning, the air's moving, and the earth is changing. I'm scared."

"Don't be. I'm here with you. We'll find them and make things safe. Together, we'll find the Princess and make this planet safe again, I promise."

--

_**Author's Note:**__ Woah, sorry it took me so freaking long to get an update. Between getting a new job and finding a social life again (shocking, I know!), I've been very busy. Plus this chapter wasn't behaving properly. But I've got it done and I'll hopefully get a new chapter up within a week or so. Hopefully being the key word here. Please, be sure to drop a line—I love seeing what you think and stay tuned for the next installment!_


	7. Allies

**Gathering**

**Chapter Seven: Allies**

Leaning against the side of the school, the man watched as the bell rang and students flowed out. All of them were eager to begin their weekends, laughing and sharing jokes, passing the man as though he weren't there. For most, he wasn't even a blip on their radar and he could thank his own abilities for masking himself so well. There were no unwanted encounters, nor was he bothered by anyone that he didn't want to be bothered by. It was, in a sense, a win-win situation for him and he was feeling quite smug about it all. He tilted his sunglasses down to the bridge of his nose, frowning as he caught sight of them. The two girls were walking together, one slightly shorter than the other. Both were caught in conversation, talking close and quietly as they turned the corner of the street and he lost sight of them. However, he wasn't going to lose sight for long.

He trailed them silently, keeping himself off their radar as the girls paused to look in shops and waited to cross the streets. Their destination was the park, already crowded with families out and about for the clear day. It was strange…one second he had them in his sights and the next they were gone. The man stopped, frowning, standing perfectly still as he listened. And then, a slow smirk crossed his lips, hands up in the air as if in defeat. "You found me," He commented dryly. There was a snort from behind him.

"I know when someone's following me. You're not the first to try," Miyu brushed back a section of her slightly curled sandy colored hair, brown eyes staring at the man in an accusatory manner. "But the real question is-"

"How'd you do it?" The man offered, interrupting her. Naoko giggled, a hand pressed to her lips as her partner rolled her eyes.

"_No_. Besides, that's a simple answer."

"Which is?"

"The wind told me. I could smell something strange when we left school and you only confirmed it by following me." Miyu was smug and the man grinned. Back to business as ever, the expression was wiped off her face as she quirked a brow. "No, the question you need to answer is, who the hell _are_ you?"

The man slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I'm a friend," He said simply, expecting the girls to simply drop it. Of course, that wasn't the case.

"I think she meant to ask if you had a name," Naoko added before Miyu could interrupt again. "How can we be sure we can trust you if you're creeping around in the shadows and refusing to give us a name?" The man hesitated for the first time, reluctant to say anything else until Naoko added, "Please?"

"I'm Chronos Knight," He muttered softly. There was silence from both women—Miyu looked like she didn't believe him while Naoko's eyes were wide, her lips parted to make an 'o' shape.

"Can't be," Miyu snapped back in the silence that followed his statement. "That's utterly impossible! Chronos Knight is the stuff of myths and legends; he lives outside of time and space and you cannot be him. It's impossible for you to even exist."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I do exist, like it or not." His lips were pursed together quite tightly as his hands came out from his pockets, one absently running through his hair. "Now, before you go on claiming that I don't exist, there are things that need to be done." He didn't wait to either of them to ask what, pressing forward quickly, the words rushing from his mouth to them. "I'm sure you've seen the attacks and the mysterious happenings in Tokyo recently. The fact is, Suzaku and Gaia need you two to get yourselves down to Tokyo before it becomes too much to handle. This is a problem for the entire Senshi, especially since they're still searching for the Princess."

"Who's behind the attacks?" Miyu asked, arms crossed over her chest.

"The four sisters were woken—well, now they've only got three, so technically they're the three sisters now but I'd really like to see them become nonexistent. They're a threat and nothing good can come from them." There was a pause for air as the Knight took in a deep breath. "I'm mostly afraid of who's controlling them though. They're low-level beings (though they have enough power to match us formidably) and I just know that there's something else behind it."

It was quite a bit of information to take in. Both girls were silent, Miyu's eyes trained on the children in the park while Naoko stared down at the ground. Finally, Miyu brought her gaze back to Chronos Knight. "There is something here. I can feel it sometimes in the breeze. Something that doesn't belong."

"You're correct," The man gave a slight grin. "The wind child has chosen this place because she can feel the energy you and Naoko give off. I don't know where she is exactly but she's here somewhere, waiting to strike when we're least expecting it."

"Well that's inconvenient," Miyu muttered sarcastically. Naoko frowned at her partner, shaking her head, a small section of mousey brown hair falling in front of her vision.

"We'll have to keep a closer eye out then," Naoko replied with determination.

"Once you've finished off Zeru, you need to make your way to Tokyo. They need you." His piece had been said and, without bothering to say goodbye, Chronos Knight turned, striding back towards the street. He ignored their calls for him to come back, vanishing among everyone else before they could find him again and plague him with more questions than he could answer right now. It was easier that way, it always had been.

Three days later, he watched on above the city as a short but efficient battle raged. Zeru was destroyed and the new Senshi were plastered across the headlines for the morning paper. It was just in time; the news would spread and the others would know that they weren't alone in this fight.

"You look smug," His sister strolled to his side, gazing down into the pool of shallow waters that displayed the images before him. "You shouldn't get too smug about it though. Anything can happen, you and I both know that."

"They're coming together though," He shook his head. "There's something missing though…"

"The Princess," She replied easily. "Only she's-"

"Hoshiko, please, don't jinx it."

"Fine, I won't, _Niboshi_," She stuck her tongue out at him which only prompted a roll of her brother's eyes. "Little brother, time will work out however it pleases. I can't jinx something that has already happened anyways."

"What do you mean?" Niboshi was curious as he watched his sister circle around the pool, standing on the opposite side of him, hands on the stony surface as she gazed down at the image of the fully-formed team cast in shadows.

"I mean," She said, glancing up after a moment, a slight smirk across her lips, "that it's going to work out. Trust me on this."

"Now who's smug?" The siblings laughed before the images faded from the pool. "Soon though," He muttered, running his fingers through his hair. "they'll need to know once the Princess shows up. Their memories are waking already."

"In due time, baby brother," Hoshiko interrupted, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder, "In due time." The children of time lapsed into silence, both afraid to say what lay between them. The shadows were moving and, while they could see what was in front of them, it was the darkness at the end of the tunnel that worried them. Neither would speak of the unforeseeable, nor could they. Instead, they stayed in silence, grateful that the wheels were working in their favor for the time being.

Eventually, though, they would have to face the shadows that were slowly beginning to haunt their dreams.

--

_**Author's note:**__ Oh god, I know this chapter was seriously over-due. I hope I still have some readers. I've just been having the most difficult time trying to write in "OH LOOK TIME FOR AN ADVENTURE AND DEFEATING STUFF!" when I feel my strengths lie in character development. So! That being said, I'm going to try tackling the rest of this story a bit differently. I don't foresee it being longer than 15 chapters, if it even hits that many. But, rest assured, I have two other books to go with this series and a final story to tie everything up. Plans are being laid and I am pleased. Mwahahaha. So yes, feel free to drop me a review, let me know what you think and all that yeah? I love hearing feedback from folks :D_


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